Mechanical systems commonly use a vacuum or other suction-inducing device to provide air flow through a portion of the system. Many such systems are susceptible to malfunction or damage in the event that the suction level becomes too high. As such, vacuum systems may include a vacuum relief valve that “breaks” the suction under certain suction conditions.
Standard vacuum relief valves typically come in one of two types. The first includes an actuator that operates to move one or more sealing components away from a sealing configuration, thereby breaking the seal and relieving the vacuum condition. Such valves require an actuator of sufficient strength to break the pressure; for example, the actuator may require a strong gear motor for operation. A second variety of vacuum valve relies on a pilot system. Traditional pilot valves have two stages. The first stage is typically a traditional plunger type valve, which feeds air from a pressurized source to a diaphragm or piston that serves as the second stage. The diaphragm or piston moves to open a larger orifice for the main flow.
It may be desirable to provide an alternative valve configuration.